Senator James Sanders Jr. Marches with Veterans at Three Memorial Day Parades

Senator James Sanders Jr. (D-Queens) marched alongside fellow veterans that served our nation and made valiant sacrifices to protect our country at three Memorial Day parades, with ceremonies in Laurelton, Rosedale and the Little Neck-Douglaston area.
 
Memorial Day may mark the unofficial start of summer, but Senator Sanders, a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran himself, reminded parade participants not to forget the true reason for the holiday.
 
“On Memorial Day we remember with solemn gratitude those who have given their lives for our freedom,” Sanders said. “As a Marine Corps veteran, it is especially important to me that we never forget the tremendous sacrifice our service members make every day to protect our American way of life.”
 
The Laurelton community lost many of its members to combat, and at the Laurelton Memorial Day Parade Sanders spoke of the fallen who gave their lives to uphold our rights and freedom.
 
“There are those who have problems with war, and we should, but if you have a problem with war, blame it on the Federal government, don’t blame it on our service members,” Sanders said. “The State government cannot declare war, but if I could, I would – I would declare a war on poverty, a war on hunger, a war against AIDS, a war against opioids, a war against all of this violence against women. We do need war, but it has to be the right one.”

At the Rosedale Memorial Day Parade, Sanders presented Senate proclamations to both U.S. Air Force Sergeant Lawrence Gallmon and Bryan Block, Past-Chairman of Community Board 13 for their admirable service to the community. The men received the honors during a wreath laying ceremony at the conclusion of the parade that took place at the Veterans & Vietnam Memorial Monument on Francis Lewis Boulevard and Sunrise Highway.
 
At the Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day Parade, Senator Sanders marched with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and greeted hundreds of people that lined the parade route. The Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day Parade is recognized as being the largest parade of its kind in the nation.